Monday, February 27 2017 19:34

ArmInfo.Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Chairman of the European Council Donald Tusk discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

As Tusk stated on February 27, in a joint press conference with  President Serzh Sargsyan, Karabakh conflict should be resolved by  political means on the basis of international norms and principles.  According to him, the conflict has no military solution. "EU will  continue to contribute to the mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk  Group", said Tusk.  

At the same time the European Council Chairman stressed that Armenia  is an important partner of EU and the organization maintains its  independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. "I would like to  announce the completion of negotiations on the new Armenia-EU  framework agreement. The new agreement will act within the framework  of our relations, and will cover the global political and economic  trends, which we share and the challenges we face. We hope to  establish a lasting cooperation in such sectors as energy, transport,  business environment, new opportunities in the field of trade and  investment", said Tusk.

According to him, the meeting also touched on democracy, human  rights, and the rule of law. Tusk said that EU is the main trading  partner and the first international donor to Armenia and called for  further work in sectors of economic development, the business  environment improvement, legislation, human rights, fight against  corruption, and to ensure the holding of free and fair elections.

To note, on October 12, 2015 in Luxembourg at a meeting of EU Council  for Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Affairs Council of the European  Union authorized the European Commission and the High Representative  to launch negotiations between Armenia and EU on a new legal  instrument. The new agreement will replace the current agreement on  cooperation between Armenia and EU. The document notes that EU is  committed to further development and strengthening of comprehensive  cooperation with Armenia in all fields of mutual interest within the  framework of the Eastern Partnership. On December 7, of 2017 in  Brussels, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and the head of  EU diplomacy Federica Mogherini announced the launch of negotiations  on a new legal instrument between Armenia and the European Union in  EU headquarters. In January 2016, the first round of negotiations was  held. At the end of 2016, the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward  Nalbandian expressed hope that the negotiations on the new framework  agreement will be completed in the near future.